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"Vietnam: The Human Rights Dialogue with Vietnam: Is Vietnam Making Significant Progress?"
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
A Strategic Opportunity: Linking Human Rights & Bilateral Interests
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, let me begin by thanking you on behalf of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom for holding this hearing.
Relations between the United States and Vietnam in recent years have strengthened and improved in several important areas. Commercial and military ties are expanding rapidly. Vietnam's Prime Minister made an historic visit to the United States in June 2005 and President Bush is scheduled to visit Vietnam in November.
Improving bilateral relations are important as our two countries move past a tragic history toward a better future--regrettably, significant issues still remain.
Vietnam's human rights record remains poor. Freedoms of speech, assembly, association, and religion continue to be restricted-and abuses in these areas still occur. Although Vietnam is in some respects a less repressive society now than ten or fifteen years ago, we should not conclude that Vietnam's economic openness has led directly to political openness or greater respect for human rights.
Unfortunately, the hope of some that Vietnam's progress toward WTO membership would bring about legal reform, transparency, and improvements in human rights has not been fulfilled. There has not been a direct correlation between economic and individual freedoms.
As Vietnam continues to expand the boundaries of economic freedom, the United States should continue to encourage Vietnam to uphold its international commitments on human rights and religious freedom. This includes full implementation of the May 5, 2005 agreement Vietnam signed with the U.S. government to improve religious freedom.
Vietnam & Religious Freedom
Mr. Chairman, the Commission remains particularly concerned about current religious freedom conditions in Vietnam.
Vietnam has been one of the Commission's highest priorities over the past several years. The Commission and its staff have traveled to Vietnam. We regularly meet with Vietnamese officials and religious leaders. We continue to work with Congress and the Administration on diplomatic and policy solutions to improve religious freedom in Vietnam.
Over the past fifteen years, the government of Vietnam has slowly carved out a noticeable "zone of toleration" for government approved religious practice. If you visit Vietnam, you will be able to observe religious activity in many places and by persons of many faiths. But the presence of religious practice does not necessarily mean the presence of religious freedom. Some Vietnamese practice their faith with few restrictions. Too many other Vietnamese people do not.
Based on information we have gathered from sources within Vietnam, we do not think the May 5, 2005 agreement, signed by the U.S. and Vietnam to improve religious freedom conditions has been fully implemented over the past year. There have been positive developments that signal a new commitment to protect religious freedom, but those developments have only slowly emerged over the past eight months and significant restrictions and abuses remain.
There have been slight improvements in law and practice for some Vietnamese religious groups following the issuing of a new Ordinance on Religious Affairs and corresponding implementation regulations. In addition, we have learned that Vietnamese officials have recently begun contacting religious leaders to discuss registration requirements. But the overall protection of religious freedom remains poor and legal protections are often ignored or poorly understood. In addition, national security or national solidarity provisions of the penal code trump all potential religious freedom protections.
In the last year, the Vietnamese government released some significant religious prisoners, officially outlawed forced recantations of faith, issued new guidelines to help speed the process of registration, registered 29 religious venues in the Central Highlands and allowed hundreds more to operate prior to registration. In addition, restrictions on Catholics and the majority of Buddhist practice continue to ease.
These positive developments are a direct result of persistent diplomatic engagement, ongoing international attention to Vietnam's human rights problems, and Vietnam's own interest in joining the international community-including WTO membership.
Yet, despite positive developments, restrictions and some abuses continue and vary by region, religious affiliation, and ethnicity. Hanoi remains highly suspicious of Montagnard and Hmong (MUNG) Protestants, Vietnamese Mennonites, followers of Hoa Hao (WAH HOW) Buddhism, and the banned United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV).
In June 2005, the Commission submitted testimony to this Subcommittee offering specific instances of abuse and restrictions of religious freedom. Let me offer additional examples of instances that have occurred since last June or which have recently been documented by our staff.
- Coerced recantations of faith are still reported, particularly among Hmong and Montagnard Protestants. We have documented numerous cases of ethnic Protestant activists in Vietnam being forced to recant and sometimes being tortured and mistreated in detention.
- Local officials confiscated the land of Hmong Christians in Lao Cai (La Chai) Province last April, destroyed the homes of Hre (REE) Christians in Quang Ngai (KWANG NIGH) Province in August, 2005, and the beat Hmong leaders in Ha Giang (HAH G-EN) Province in September, 2005.
- In addition, just last month, the chief of police in Tung Ba (TUNG BA) Commune, Ha Giang (HAH G-EN) Province admitted that he raided a Hmong Christian worship service on January 1, 2006. The police chief said he "caught 20 people red-handed illegally singing. We seized 14 books and one radio from them." "We told them to stop practicing that religion because it is illegal."
- Pressures remain on the UBCV leadership. Thich Quang Do (TIC KWON DOE) and Thich Huyen Quang (TIC JUAN KWON) are still restricted in their contacts and movement. At least 13 other senior UBCV monks remain under some form of administration probation or actual "pagoda arrest." In February 2006, Thich Quang Do (TIC KWON DO) was detained after trying to board a train to visit Thich Huyen Quang (TIC JUAN KWON). He was released after a few hours, but was not allowed to travel. Charges against UBCV leaders for "possessing state secrets," first issued in October 2004, have not been rescinded.
- Arrests and harassment of members of the Hoa Hao (WA HOW) religious minority have increased in the past year. In September 2005, Hoa Hao monk Vo Van Thanh Liem (VO VAN THAN LEEM), who had submitted written testimony on human rights to this Subcommittee, was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment. At least six other Hoa Hao (WA HOW) members were sentenced to prison during 2005.
- On a positive note, Vietnamese authorities continue to slowly open some of the 450 religious venues closed since 2001. By our count, 29 churches legally re-opened last year. Officials in Gai Lai (JA LIE) Province seem to be allowing additional "home meeting points" to operate before they are legally recognized. Similar reports are emerging from Kontum (KON TOMB) and Binh Phuoc (BIN PHOOK). However, it seems that there is little movement on church openings in Dak Lak (DAHK LAHK) Province.
- Hmong (MUNG) Protestants have encountered the most problems in seeking legal recognition. Authorities in the northwest provinces have steadfastly refused to acknowledge the legal existence of a reported 1,110 Protestant churches in the northwest provinces. Approximately 200 Hmong churches have applied for registration under the new law, but they have encountered numerous obstacles from authorities.
- There are at least six religious prisoners and fifteen others being held in some from of administrative detention. The number is probably much higher since religiously-related detainees from the 2001 and 2004 demonstrations for religious freedom in the Central Highlands are being held under "national security" and national solidarity provisions of the legal code.
- In the last year, Vietnam has eased some restrictions on Catholicism. In January 2006, a special envoy from Rome made the first visit by a senior official from the Vatican since 1954 and presided over the ordination of 57 priests at a ceremony in Hanoi. In addition, a new Archbishop was named for Ho Chi Minh City in 2005. Although relations between Vietnam and the Vatican have improved in recent years, the government continues to require prospective seminarians to obtain government permission before entering the seminary and receiving ordination and maintains defacto veto power over Roman Catholic ordinations and appointments.
Regarding Religious Freedom: Is the Glass Half-Full of Half-Empty?
As was highlighted by Ambassador Hanford in his testimony, Vietnam has seriously engaged on the issue of religious freedom with the United States. Vietnamese officials have told the Commission that since the CPC designation, they now realize that "religious freedom concerns are issues that have to be addressed to improve bilateral relations."
Ambassador Hanford should be commended for the time and effort he has invested in Vietnam. We should see any progress in Vietnam as evidence that both vigorous diplomatic action and the use of the CPC designation produced results that might lead to future improvements in religious freedom in Vietnam.
In the past eight months, we have seen some critical diplomatic engagement on religious freedom concerns, we have seen new regulations issued that promise some protections for religious minorities if applied consistently, and we have seen several prisoners released.
Mr. Chairman, we recognize some advances in religious freedom conditions and we have noted continued concerns. We are not arguing over whether the glass is half-full or half-empty. We just do not know if the glass, so recently constructed, will continue to hold any water.
Will legal developments hold in a country where the rule of law is not fully functioning? Are changes only cosmetic, intended to increase Vietnam's ability to gain WTO membership and pass a Congressional vote on PNTR?
Religious prisoners remain behind bars, churches remain closed, forced renunciations of faith continue, as do restrictions on and harassment of all of Vietnam's diverse religious communities. All these abuses occur less frequently than in the past; however, there remain serious concerns in all these areas.
Though promises of future improvement are encouraging, we should not reward Vietnam too quickly by lifting the CPC designation or downplaying human rights concerns to advance economic or military interests.
Policy Recommendations:
The Commission's 2005 Annual Report includes policy recommendations that we believe can improve U.S. human rights diplomacy for Vietnam. In general, the Commission recommends that U.S. diplomatic and assistance programs be expanded and re-prioritized to directly promote freedom of religion and related human rights in Vietnam. Non-humanitarian assistance programs have been declining in Vietnam, except for new HIV/AID funding and assistance programs to help Vietnam enter the WTO. We believe that new public diplomacy, economic development, and technical assistance programs should be targeted to address the roots of ongoing human rights problems.
We have also made specific recommendations for Congressional and Administration action in the areas of public diplomacy, economic development, education, good governance, and rule of law programs for Vietnam.
I have included a copy of the Commission's recommendations as part of my testimony and ask that it be made part of the record.
Let me highlight one of our past policy recommendations in order to commend Congressional action and urge full implementation of appropriated funds.
Last year, in the conference report to HR 3057, the Foreign Operations Appropriation's Bill, Congress agreed to provide $2,000,000 for programs to address the needs of affected communities and individuals in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, including creation of a Montagnard Development Fund.
Mr. Chairman, we believe that the creation of a Montagnard Development Fund may address some of the core economic problems that are related to religious freedom abuses targeting Vietnam's ethnic minorities. We urge that the appropriated funds be quickly allocated, that NGOs will be able to operate freely in Central Highlands, and that development projects be expanded for Vietnam's northwest provinces as well. We also urge that the funds appropriated by Congress be prioritized for ethnic and religious minority communities in areas experiencing significant human rights problems.
The U.S. Government and its officials must continue to speak with one strong voice on human rights, including religious freedom. We must continue to convey to senior Vietnamese leaders that religious freedom is a top priority to us, that it is a critical issue in our bilateral relationship, and that the central Government must take concerted action to end abuses and harassment of religious believers.
We must continue to make clear that it is incumbent on the leadership of Vietnam to take their country on the path towards openness, prosperity, and freedom. Better U.S. and Vietnamese relations depend on it.


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A couple of weeks ago our press team were busy getting papers and the Today programme interested in our story around Mozart Piano Concerto No.23. The press always like a picture to go with a story, so we hunted high and low for a picture of Barbara Ployer – Mozart's pupil, who the concerto was most likely written for. We searched. And searched. And searched. But came up with nothing. It started to look hopeless. However Natasha, our communications intern, came to the rescue with some highly advanced photoshop skills and, using photographs of OAE staff members Katy Bell (Press Manager) and William Norris (Communications Director) as a starting point, and also piecing together documentary and historical evidence pointing to what Barbara Ployer looked like, she presented to us two startlingly lifelike images. These advanced photomontages are probably the closest we can get today to knowing what Mozart's pupil looked like.
And, slightly more seriously, we did in the end source a sketch of Barbara Ployer, see it with the Guardian press story here.

subset: commoncrawl


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In support of Forestdale's foster care work with over 1,000 families across Queens and the rest of the city, the organizations pulled together over 175 guests for an evening of live music by Flearoy and an open bar sponsored by Baterhouse, Tequila Semental and the Queens-based Finback Brewery.
"At Forestdale, our approach is to look across the country – across the world – for ideas and practices that help the families who come through our doors," said executive director Anstiss Agnew said. "We partner with socially active organizations like the NYU School of Dentistry and NYU School of Nursing, and when the right models don't exist, we make our own."
With their work in tutoring, SAT prep and college application workshops, caseworkers at the fundraiser praised the organization for their work and encouraged others do the same.
"When you go into a house and things are not going okay, everything is chaotic," said one Forestdale caseworker. "If I'm able to assist a family in helping their child along the way, I feel like my days are productive."


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The Bone Builders group meets in the Hoffman Great Room of our church every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-10:30 AM Bone Builders is run by the Chemung Volunteer Action Corps (CVAC). It is an exercise program designed to help prevent bone loss and to build on existing bone mass. The program is for both men and women. If you are looking for exercise that increases your strength and is good for your bones, consider joining Bone Builders. To join, please contact CVAC at 734-4161 for information and ask to have an enrollment packet sent to you.
1054 W. Clinton St. | Elmira, NY 14905 | p 607-734-1614 | f 607-734-1615 | email email@example.com© 2020, First Presbyterian Church of Elmira, NY. All Rights Reserved. Website design by CreAgent Marketing


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Our goal is to help you pass the licensing exam on the first try. Our proven track record of success assures you the best preparation possible. The exams provided here at www.PassTheRealEstateExam.com will prepare you fully for the difficult questions you can expect to see on the actual PSI licensing examination.
We offer questions from all of the actual exam categories, including: Property Ownership; Land Use Controls and Regulations; Valuation and Market Analysis; Financing; Laws of Agency; Mandated Disclosures; Contracts; Transfer of Property; Practice of Real Estate; Real Estate Calculations (Math); and Specialty Areas.
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Jackson Memorial Security Increased Following Threat
Students at Jackson Memorial High School will notice a beefed up police presence on following Wednesday's evacuation after a threat was discovered in a bathroom.
Jackson Police were called to the school after a threatening message was discovered in a bathroom according to the Ocean County Police Blotter Faceook page. A section of the high school on Don Connor Boulevard was evacuated and Ocean County Sheriffs Department Canine Officers were brought in to sniff for explosives.
No explosives were discovered and the school was reopened at 4:30PM Wednesday afternoon.
In a message posted on the school website recounting the investigation, school officials said the building would be open on Wednesday scheduled events.
Officials in their message said they "will be working with police to investigate the matter using our security surveillance system and other methods." In addition, there will be " an increased police presence" at the building on Thursday mainly to make students and staff less anxious and feel safe.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Jackson Police at 732-928-1111.
Ironically the threat was made on the same day President Obama announced his plans to deal with gun violence following the Newtown, Connecticut shooting. The Jackson Memorial Marching Jaguars will be marching in Obama's inauguration parade on Monday in Washington D.C.


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Online only
The world that he has created from the Basque Country (where he lives with his large family) is cast in his image: teeming with energy and ideas but devoid of any pretensions. Born in 1966 in the south of France, from very young Kikayou was passionate about drawing, painting and sculpture. Derived from graffiti and tag, he left on the road from city to city, unnamed stigmas forging his universe. Encounters, emotions drawn from the news and daily life made up the rest. He leads us into his quirky pictorial work, inspired by the work of Basquiat…
All artworks presented by Carré d'artistes are unique, signed by the artist and come with a certificate of authenticity.


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WEST CHESTER (November 13) – State Senator Andy Dinniman and nearly every school superintendent in southeastern Pennsylvania oppose the proposed Keystone Graduation Exams and have asked Pennsylvania's IRRC (Independent Regulatory Review Commission) to vote against the exams on Nov. 21.
Fully 58 of the 61 superintendents and all four intermediate unit directors serving students and taxpayers in Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, and Bucks counties believe there are "major challenges and concerns with the current implementation strategy of the Keystone Exams and Pennsylvania's school accountability system," according to the signed letter delivered to IRRC commissioners on Nov. 4.
In addition, many local school districts have passed resolutions opposing the Keystone Graduation Exams, including the Great Valley School District, Tredyffrin-Easttown School District, Radnor School District, and Haverford School District. On Tuesday, the Coatesville School Board unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Pennsylvania Department of Education's general approach toward the standardization of education.
The school districts' concerns include new, substantial costs to local taxpayers in the hundreds of millions of dollars; the inherent unfairness of the proposed high-stakes tests; a complete lack of direction from the Pennsylvania Department of Education over how to implement and use the Keystone Exams; and perhaps most importantly, the negative impact that preparing for and taking so many required standardized tests has on public schools – many of which are performing excellently.
Radnor school officials, for example, say that "the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), including the Keystone Exams, does more to interfere with our mission than to help.
"Radnor Township School District has always been, and continues to be, a high-achieving district serving a community that expects excellence and adherence to the highest standards of education for our students," said school board member Charles E. Madden III to lawmakers at an August 26 hearing, noting the district's 95 percent college and advanced-schooling rate. "There is no benefit to students or teachers when instructional days are lost reviewing for these tests. … There is no benefit to the taxpayers when the costs of administering these tests far exceed any value to our district."
The Keystone Graduation Exams are conservatively estimated to cost local taxpayers $300 million statewide; West Chester Area School District officials say they face $250,000 in new annual costs for the Keystone Biology Test alone.
Like the Radnor school board, the West Chester school board is preparing to soon pass its own resolution opposing the proposed Keystone Graduation Exams.
Dinniman said, "School boards and top school officials, from Avon Grove to Norristown to West Chester, call the Keystone Graduation exams an unfunded mandate that will rob local taxpayers of money and students of important classroom time.
"While we are all for accountability and we are all for higher academic standards, we stand united against the Keystone Graduation Exams and the bogus hope they give in the false name of accountability and higher standards," Dinniman said.
Dinniman's most recent effort against the Keystone Graduation Exams is his filing of seven Right-to-Know requests asking the Pennsylvania Department of Education for how individual school districts fared in the trial Keystone Exams given last year and relatedly, how much individual school districts might have to spend to retest and remediate students who do not test well.
"I filed the Right-to-Know requests because Pennsylvania is on the cusp of placing a new burden on its students and stands ready to do so without knowing the cost to local school districts and their taxpayers," Dinniman said. "Not only are they detrimental to our students' education; they are the ultimate example of another unfunded mandate being placed on local taxpayers."
For more information, including documents supporting all of the points raised in this press release, visit Senator Dinniman's web site here.


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UPDATE from Docomomo US/MN on the public meeting for Peavey Plaza:
The new design calls for the complete removal of Peavey Plaza—the signature fountains and grade levels, the hardscape, the plantings, everything. These are the features that make the such a singular, iconic, and vibrant public space. A new park that has some recessed levels and water features will be built. It has a lot of technology as well—a "sound garden" and a "performance wall." The design looks like it smashes together the New York Highline and Chicago's Millennium Park. While these are both interesting designs and successful projects, we believe that the proposed designs for Peavey effectively transform a landmark into a lookalike.
What you can do: The city has set up a webpage with images of the "recommended design." There is a link to submit comments via email by midnight (CST) October 24, 2011. Two city council committees are meeting on Tuesday to vote on the design to move the project forward. They will supposedly take the comments into consideration. The city council is supposed to vote on the design on November 4 and they hope to start construction in spring 2012. Here is the link to the webpage: www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/peavey_plaza.asp. Please go to this site and submit a comment to the city – let them know if you feel the new design really "sympathetically reinterprets" the current design. The link on the webpage for comments goes to Beth Grosen at the city: email@example.com.
PREVIOUS: Join Docomomo US/ Minnesota and the Friends of Peavey Plaza on Wednesday, October 19th for a public meeting to review new designs for Peavey Plaza. As reported last year in the Docomomo US E-news, the preservation of Peavey Plaza has been threatened with redesign of the plaza and remodeling of the adjacent building.
The plaza has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places but is not officially designated either nationally or locally. Local preservationists, including the board of Docomomo US/Minnesota, are concerned that the design process has not been transparent and that public feedback up to this point in time has been limited.
The public meeting will take place from 4:30-6:30 PM in Orchestra Hall at 1111 Nicollet Mall.
For more on the meeting and efforts to preserve Peavey Plaza visit the Docomomo US/Minnesota Facebook page or the Friends of Peavey Plaza page.


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Desktop Products:
Process Automation:
Software Development:
View thumbnails of the pages in the PDF file by either clicking on the Pages icon or by accessing the menu View | Document Panes | Pages.
You can now easily delete the first 3 pages of the file by shift-clicking (hold the shift key and click) on pages 1, 2 and 3 and then delete. You can delete by right-clicking on one of the selected pages and choosing Delete Pages... or use the menu item Document | Delete Pages....
Now you have the 1 page you want to share. The file size reduced to 982KB (just under 1MB) by removing the 3 extra pages.
Save the modified PDF. If you don't care about the original content you can overwrite the original file. If you do care about the original content, save under a new file name.
Let's optimize the size even more so you can send the smallest file possible, while still retaining good quality for viewing on our computer screen.
You are going to down sample the images on the page to screen quality. This will make the file smaller for emailing.
Change the settings for color, grayscale and monochrome images to 96 dpi.
Click OK. Save the file under a new name. You need to save the file with a new file name because file optimization cannot be "undone". This prevents you from loosing the original content.
Now the file is less than 500KB. This is a much more acceptable file attachment size to send off via e-mail.


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Victoria Beckham posted a teaser video for her upcoming online shoppe yesterday. It launches in February. In the preview -- see below -- Posh asks:
"What do people expect of me?"
She goes on to answer her own question:
"Hmmm...uhhh...(giggle)...I think people expect the best."
They do?
Did I miss that when I was stuck in bed yesterday?
Did I miss the message that Victoria Beckham is now synonymous with "The Best"? And does Marc Jacobs get any credit for that? At a Q&A in New York recently, Jacobs repeated an anecdote he loves to tell about Victoria Beckham and the first time they met. Or, rather, how he took pity on her:
"When we did the graffiti bags with Stephen Sprouse there was a cover of a British newspaper with Posh Spice wearing a counterfeit one. As soon as it was produced, we sent her a real one. I hardly dreamed that my ultimate goal would be to have Posh Spice carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag. It was kind of funny."
This, apparently, is the bag in question according to people on message boards who remember these things.
And attached -- Posh shopping in London yesterday.


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Difference between revisions of "Historical:Contrast Blending Actions"
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The action set is available from [http://www.erik-krause.de/blending Erik Krause]
The action set is available from [http://www.erik-krause.de/blending Erik Krause]
Revision as of 15:45, 10 April 2005
The Contrast Blending Actions stack and mask differently exposed images in order to combine the correctly exposed parts of all images in the result. The result can be visually controlled by adjusting layer opacity as well as by editing the masks.
The action set is available from Erik Krause
An approach that I use can be found on Michael Reichmann's site - http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/digital-blending.shtml. I use the second technique, the Layer Mask approach, and have found that it works quickly and easily, while still leaving much room for tweaking as necessary. The only change I've made in my approach is at the end where I work in Levels instead of curves. I find that sliding the mid-tones to the right helps make the resulting image look more realistic. In some cases, you just have to play around with all three sliders until you get a good blend. I also will reduce the opacity of the top layer down to about 85% as well.
Mark Fink www.northernlight.net


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How can I let TeXShop know to auto-complete commands like
\cref and friends defined by the cleveref package?
I've been using the basic
\ref and
\eqref by AMSmath, and my TeXShop (fully updated) can recognize the commands so that I can set up a key (ESC or Tab) to press and activate an alphabetically ordered drop-down list of labels with the given initials.
Somehow the same doesn't work for commands from cleveref. I have loaded the package more than once and have relaunched TeXShop to make sure that the package is already in the system. The couple of posts on StackExchange are of no help, and there are many posts in this forum here regarding auto-completion but I haven't found the ones about the drop-down list.
Each of the two-columned `reports` I write ranges from 30 to 150 pages, and most equations and figures have long labels. Without the auto-completed drop-down list, I cannot even begin to generate the links. Is there some common practice that I'm not aware of?
Any pointer would be appreciated. Thank you.
I haven't tried hyperref since cleveref seems better and zref is less popular (according to http://tex.stackexchange.com/a/36312/119235 ... assuming the status haven't changed in the past 5 years).
I originally posted this on StackExchange, which has a rather different interface. This is my first post here and I'm still figuring things out.


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Give It Up To Julianne And Derek Hough And The Cast Of The "Move Live On Tour"
Have you seen the Move Live On Tour yet? I was blessed to be able to see it in Denver, Colorado this past week. I wrote all about my experience at Pure Derek Hough if you'd like to read it and see my photos. Let's just say, I was beyond "moved"! Derek and Julianne could not have been more kind and warm hearted when meeting them. As for their dancing….they gave it up and then some as well as their talented and fabulous dancers who brought the same intensity in different ways. The quality of this show is off the hook! The tour is on it's last legs now as it travels to Arizona and California this next week, but, don't give up on buying tickets if you see that some shows are "sold out". Check the venues themselves and places like Stubhub.com, Ebay, etc. The price is worth every penny. Check twitter too as I've seen some people at the last minute who weren't able to go. If you'd like to blog and review on your experience, see this link.
"After you move, don't you feel good?" ~Derek Hough
Yes, I did!!!
And guess what? (Our) John also saw the show in Sandy, Utah this week. Here's a little bit of what he saw. Thanks to John Von Dreele (another John) for sending…
More on all of the shows and more at Pure Derek Hough.


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The Filibuster
Earlier this week, Shawn Chacon physically attacked Astros' GM Ed Wade, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the team. Does Chacon, or any other player guilty of similar actions, deserve a second chance?
— Jeff
This whole past week has been rife with comparisons to Latrell Sprewell and his antics of yesteryear. At this point, the general consensus seems to be that Chacon is a second-rate pitcher who got what he deserved. However, I'm not so sure.
Let me begin by saying that what Chacon did was barbaric and unforgivable. However, the same people who are decrying his actions have no problem with teammates beating on each other in the dugout or generally being buffoons. When Carlos Zambrano and Michael Barrett went at it in the Cubs dugout last summer, there was no real outcry. People were upset but the Cubs merely put Barrett on the trading block and managed to get rid of him. Problem solved.
The real problem here is not out of control baseball players (or for that matter, football or basketball players). The problem is that we have created a modern day gladiator class in professional sports but then we're upset when they act like barbarians. Listen, what do you think is going to happen when you're looking the other way while these guys are pumping steroids and HGH? Do you think that does good things to their bodies or their brains? If anything, we're lucky no one has died (although I'm still not convinced that Barry Bonds' head won't full on explode one of these days). These athletes are expected to perform at a ridiculously high level of competition on a continuous basis so some sort of additive is necessary if they want to stay healthy. If you want them to perform so you can be entertained and so the owners can make money, you also accept the consequences.
And here's where the events with Chacon come into play. He had not been performing as well as expected. He was being demoted to the bullpen. That meant that some action had to be taken. But when you're dealing with someone's livelihood at that level, you need to have some tact. So, when the GM presents the decision in a nasty way to a guy who already knows that things haven't been going well, what does he expect is going to happen? Here's my take on it: If you can't relate to the player, leave the news to someone who can. It will probably result in a lot less bruises.
But this takes us to your actual question, does a player so indicted deserve a second chance. My answer is simple. Sports are entertainment, athletes are entertainers. If they can still entertain and you are comfortable with the possible consequences, bring 'em back. You're going to run a risk and if you don't think you can keep the person in line, don't do it. But the owners and managers are just as at fault as the players and even the fans in creating this situation so it ultimately comes down to the economic question (as does everything in entertainment). So, do the math. If you thought a gladiator had a chance at killing the emperor, you left him out of the ring. If you think an athlete might kill his manager, leave him off the team. It's as simple as that.


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Singer Justin Bieber was cited for speeding Friday morning after being pulled over on the southbound 101 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley, according to the California Highway Patrol.
LA City Councilman Dennis Zine was driving on the freeway and called 911 to report the high-speed maneuvering by Bieber and the paparazzi following him.
"It was absolutely outrageous," Zine told NBC. "Horrific. They were driving with complete disregard for people and property. Weaving in and out of traffic. I was heading in an easterly direction and this car came by me at at least 100 miles per hour. He drove by like he was in a rocket ship. "
U.S. & World
Zine, a former L.A.P.D. motor officer for 18 years, went on to say that if he had his way, Bieber "should have been arrested and had his car impounded."
The 18-year-old singer, driving a shiny silver Fiska Karma - a luxury, electric vehicle with a base price of $103,000 - was issued a citation and allowed to continue on his way.
None of the other drivers involved in the pursuit were cited at the time, but the C.H.P. is investigating the paparazzi in regards to creating a hazardous situation.
"This is a situation of the paparazzi menacing those on the highway," added Zine. "It was a very frightening situation for motorists - it was a like a police chase."
Request for comment from Bieber's management was not returned at the time of publication.


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I have a large sized JPanel within a JScrollPane, and in this JPanel need to render LOTS of stuff. To speed up rendering I am using the Clip Rect (specified by the graphics object method getClipBounds()) to render only the things needed. I noticed the width of the returned rectangle seems somewhat unpredictable during a scrolling drag event (eg when a user drags the scroll bar). Here's a short snippet demonstrating the behavior - run, and start a repaint by resizing the window or dragging the scroll bar and notice the difference in printed out values. A similar behavior occurs when I animate the scrolling with a Timer
import javax.swing.*; import java.awt.*; public class ScrollDemo extends JFrame{ public ScrollDemo(){ super(); ScrollPanel scPanel = new ScrollPanel(); scPanel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(5000,200)); JScrollPane scroller = new JScrollPane(scPanel); scroller.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500,200)); getContentPane().add(scroller); pack(); setVisible(true); } private class ScrollPanel extends JPanel{ /** * Paints the component and prints out the values of the * Clip Rect width every time it paints. */ @Override public void paintComponent(Graphics g){ super.paintComponent(g); Rectangle rect = g.getClipBounds(); System.out.println(rect.width); } } public static void main(String[] args){ new ScrollDemo(); } }
It would be ideal if the width of the clip bounds actually gave the values I expected, but its not and I'm curious as to why and if there is a workaround to the issue.


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06.26.19 - Policy Briefs -
PAI champions policies that put women in charge of their reproductive health. We work with policymakers in Washington and our network of partners in developing countries to remove roadblocks between women and the services and supplies they need. For over 50 years, we've helped women succeed by upholding their basic rights.


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Esic.edu website uses cookies to obtain statistics about the navigation of its users. If you continue browsing, we will consider that you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Accept
This educational addition makes its students stand out among other professionals, and gives them an important advantage that will open the doors of the international market.
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Your opinion is very important; that' s why we have created an area to asses, correct and improve all our processes [+]


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2,400 Sq.Ft. Warehouse Available for Rent in Al Ttay Al Khawaneej
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Large Type Notes, Obsolete Notes, Proof/Mint Sets and Retail Sales in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach
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text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong comparison Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong comparison Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Hong Kong View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message ninjamonJoined: 05 Nov 2007Posts: 28 Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:46 pm Post subject: Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong comparison Hi! I have taught in the Mainland for 3 years and in Taiwan for 1. I was wondering whether other people here have done the same and whether they would be able to make cultural and material comparisons between the two such as people's attitudes, quality of housing, cost of living and so on. Cheers for any advice! Back to top Horizontal HeroJoined: 26 Mar 2004Posts: 2492Location: The civilised little bit of China. Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:20 am Post subject: Well, I have lived and worked in all three - Taiwan for 2.3 yrs, mainland for 3 yrs, and now in HK over 3 years. Of course all three places have varied conditions according to where you live. In TW I lived in Chaiyi, a smallish town. The housing I got was quite good, the town clean, and the people really nice. I earned a decent salary too, and paid little for housing - about 10% of my income. TWese people have a kind of gentle innocence about them. I liked them a lot. Mainland China was much more of a test, althpough it is improving in many ways. Housing is cheap or provided in most ESL jobs. Most places are dirty though, and standards can be very poor in building quality, and any kind of workmanship anywhere. You get people staring at you a lot in less developed areas. Nationalism can be really in your face, and there is definitely an ugly side to this (but I won't go into it here). Hong Kong can be stressful, something I didn't count on before I came here. The pace of life is really fast. Housing is usually a little shoebox in the sky, and way overpriced. An alternative is a village house in the New Territories, if you don't mind commute (depending on where you are going). HK is very organised, transport really good, pay is much higher for NET positions, international schools and universities. But strangely, many NETs leave after one contract. I suspect isolation and a stressful working environment are the main causes. It really isn't much fun working here for most of us (I'm a NET). Back to top ninjamonJoined: 05 Nov 2007Posts: 28 Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:00 am Post subject: Hi - thanks for your reply. I have some more q's if you don't mind.... Is there much of a cost of living difference between Taiwan and Hong Kong? If the cost of living is roughly the same then NET salaries (inc housing) look extremely generous.... This is a bit cheeky but I was wondering whether you could comment more on the NET scheme on the other thread I set up about NET as a long term proposition? I am hoping to apply for the scheme and was wondering whether you could comment more about that? BTW I know what you mean about the racism in the Mainland, it is an extremely ugly side to the culture. Is there any equivalent in Hong Kong? Back to top KaloiJoined: 01 Aug 2007Posts: 53 Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:17 am Post subject: ninjamon wrote: Racism... in Hong Kong? Of course there is.... 鬼佬 I have never witnessed it in a professional setting, but its definitely present - most notably in the constant stares you get from old people (which just made m'feel pretty). Back to top ninjamonJoined: 05 Nov 2007Posts: 28 Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject: cheers for letting me know. i was wondering if it was on the mainland scale, particularly the anti-japanese racism. do people in hong kong have violent demos where they burn the japanese flags and smash up (chinese owned) japanese restaurants and scream abuse at the chinese waitresses inside? i am not really bothered by gwai lo or stereotyping. how do hong kong people react to foreigners learning cantonese? encouraging or laugh in your face? Back to top Horizontal HeroJoined: 26 Mar 2004Posts: 2492Location: The civilised little bit of China. Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:14 am Post subject: Most HKers are a bit standoffish in public places. They are more reserved than mainlanders. I find service people to be kind and friendly, and many go out of their way to help you. The racism is most apparent with Filipinas, and some comments HKers make about them reveal a strong contempt. You will almost never see HK hanging around with Filipinas unless it is a work/living arrangement. But there is the odd idiot here who is rabidly anti-western. In fact to tell you the truth the most rabid racism I have ever encountererd was on two separate occassions in Hong Kong. I have written about these incidents here before. One led to a man screaming at my mainland Chinese wife that she was a *beep*, and demanding to know how many men she had slept with. In the other incident a middle aged man started yelling at me in the line at the post ofice because I had unknowingly stood in the wrong line. He pointed his finger at my face at close range and started yelling "Do you think you are special because you have a white face!?" So I am a bit careful in publc places now. There are a certain number of crazies out there. But the best thing to do is focus on the good people. As the Hindu saying goes, "When you met the tiger on the path, step out of the way." There's less anti-Japanese stuff here. That problem in the mainland has been exacerbatd by continual stream of propaganda shoved down people's throats. The Japanese invasion and atrocities during WW2 and the anti-Japanese hatred that exists in China at present are not a natural extension of one another. The hate has been used and abused for political purposes, and is also a psychological projection, I believe, as leading authority figures in China cannot be criticised. i.e. Whereas people vent against politicians in democracies, in China they have to find outside sources. And Taiwan and Hong Kong? Like chalk and cheese. Don't even think they are much the same. Back to top 11:59Joined: 31 Aug 2006Posts: 632Location: Hong Kong: The 'Pearl of the Orient' Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:51 am Post subject: ninjamon wrote: how do hong kong people react to foreigners learning cantonese? encouraging or laugh in your face? http://www.happyjellyfish.com/content/SCMP%20Sept%2029,%2004.pdf Back to top ninjamonJoined: 05 Nov 2007Posts: 28 Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:23 pm Post subject: so what you are saying is that Hong Kong is just China, but with more money? I thought it was supposed to be some sort of glamour city of the Far East (please don't laugh...well not too hard) disappointing Back to top Horizontal HeroJoined: 26 Mar 2004Posts: 2492Location: The civilised little bit of China. Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:59 am Post subject: ninjamon wrote: so what you are saying is that Hong Kong is just China, but with more money? I thought it was supposed to be some sort of glamour city of the Far East (please don't laugh...well not too hard) disappointing Everyone has a different opinion of HK. I wouldn't call it a glamour city. There's the high-rises of HK Island which look all glittery and stuff, but the average Zhou here is still, well, Chinese. Most of HK is pretty down to Earth and unsophisticated. But that doesn't make it any less interesting. In fact I like many of the less "developed" parts. You might well like HK. I think I like it overall, but I don't find it an easy place to live. Back to top 11:59Joined: 31 Aug 2006Posts: 632Location: Hong Kong: The 'Pearl of the Orient' Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:05 am Post subject: ninjamon wrote: so what you are saying is that Hong Kong is just China, but with more money? I thought it was supposed to be some sort of glamour city of the Far East (please don't laugh...well not too hard) disappointing OP, first, we have to draw a distinction between the facilities of the SAR of HK and the populace, that is, its 'indigenous' (read, non-ex-pat) inhabitants, viz., the locals (or, as I prefer to term them, the natives). For whereas the former are quite obviously First World, advanced, and modern (the underground train system the MTR is equal to that of Tokyo, for example) the latter are distinctly Third World in their outlook/world view and outward behaviour (Filipinos, Indonesians, Indians, and Mainlanders all share the somewhat dubious honour of being openly detested by the HK Chinese). Second, contrary to popular opinion, HK is not an international 'glamour' city of the Far East. Indeed, it is overwhelmingly homogenous, with some 95% of the city's residents being Chinese. It is true that the remaining 5% are certainly a mixed bunch (with many races and nationalities represented) but it is at the end of the day a mere 5% of the total population, and of that slim percentage of non-Chinese residents, some 40% (i.e., nearly half of the non-Chinese population) are Filipino domestic helpers. One thing that has always puzzled me is why and how HK ever secured a reputation for being international. My guess is that an illusion if created by high-profile foreigners and/or the plethora of international firms with offices here. In short, do not come to HK expecting a forward-thinking, US- or European-style metropolis; assume it is distinctly Chinese, inward-looking, racist, and, facilities aside, backward. As regards their attitudes towards the Japanese, that is a bit trickier to fathom out. There have been marches and protests over the course of the last 4 or 5 years it is true, but I would not term them 'anti-Japanese', and they have, to the credit of the Hong Kongers, always been calm and dignified. Most middle-class Hong Kongers revel in imported Japanese goods (particularly skin-whitening products), food (there are sushi houses galore), go to Japan 'on holiday' (read, 'shopping expeditions'), and simply love SOGO. And you'll see no end of signs outside hairdressers which advertise new styles which can make would-be customers 'look Japanese' (!). In addition, you'll come across no end of girls who go in for the Japanese 'Gal' or 'Kogal' look and who give themselves Japanese 'English' names, such as, for example, Yuki, Nano, Sakura, Yuko, Ran, etc. Please also try to bear in mind that most if not all youngsters in HK are incapable of even placing HK on a world map, let alone relating stories of past atrocities committed by (what is to them) some distant generation in (what is to them) the distant past. As I recounted quite recently on this here forum, the vast majority of my post-graduate students were not even aware of the tsunami of but a few years ago not exactly a million miles away from here, so it would be quite odd and quixotic for them to be in any way, shape, fashion or form aware of any events in history. Remember also that, for those who do know of past atrocities committed by the Japanese, although deep down they may resent Japan the country and the Japanese the people as a result of such past events, these feelings come into direct conflict with their (seemingly greater) desire to distance themselves from the dreaded Mainlanders, who according to most Hong Kongers, are the real scum of the Earth, second only to Indians (who are smelly and who are thieves), Indonesians (who are smelly and backward), and Flips (who are thick, smelly, and who are thieves). One way of further distancing themselves from their Mainland cousins of course is to align themselves with the Japanese and Japanese culture. And, as I have noted, to their minds at least, they can achieve this through eating at sushi restaurants, wearing Japanese-style haircuts, making annual shopping trips to Tokyo, and watching crappy Japanese soap operas on TV. Back to top ninjamonJoined: 05 Nov 2007Posts: 28 Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:30 pm Post subject: @11:59 ok, i c. do you speak cantonese? i found when i was in the mainland my opinion of the chinese went down as my ability with mandarin went up (particularly when i started to be able to read the gist of newspapers and discovered where they get their looney ideas from). if i don't bother to learn cantonese, would that help? is ignorance bliss? Back to top Serious_FunJoined: 28 Jun 2005Posts: 1171Location: terra incognita Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: 11:59 wrote: Please also try to bear in mind that most if not all youngsters in HK are incapable of even placing HK on a world map, let alone relating stories of past atrocities committed by (what is to them) some distant generation in (what is to them) the distant past. As I recounted quite recently on this here forum, the vast majority of my post-graduate students were not even aware of the tsunami of but a few years ago not exactly a million miles away from here, so it would be quite odd and quixotic for them to be in any way, shape, fashion or form aware of any events in history. I must admit to being absolutely shocked by the ignorance of world events exhibited by my Form 4 through Form 7 students..."The 2008 Olympics" is the stock phrase for any and all geopolitical discussion(s). Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored textbooks can be thrown away now? Unit 1 - Hong Kong Shopping- Duty-Free Paradise. Unit 2 - Asia's World City. Unit 3 - Hong Kong - Centre of the Universe. Unit 4 - Hong Kong Shopping- Duty-Free Paradise. Unit 5 - Asia's World City Unit 6 - Hong Kong - We Have Lots Of Restaurants Unit 7 - Review: Hong Kong- Shopping Unit 8 - Hong Kong - Shopping and Eating Unit 9 - HKCEE Paper 1, 2, and Oral Exam: (Hong Kong, Shopping, Eating) Unit 10 - Asia's World City and Duty-Free Shopping Unit 11 - Hong Kong: Financial Centre Unit 12 - Shopping and Eating Review Unit 13 - Hong Kong : We Still Have Lots Of Restaurants Unit 14 - Shopping Unit 15 - Eating Out in Hong Kong but: our students understand these topics!! Back to top hkteachJoined: 29 May 2005Posts: 202Location: Hong Kong Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:38 am Post subject: I agree that the idea of Hong Kong as a glamourous city is incorrect. The night views of the city skyline are spectacular, it's true, but it's a city of absolute contrasts. The glitzy commercial buildings and high end apartment blocks are in areas where there are lots of old, dreadful-looking housing estate towers of shoebox type flats. If you look up, you see filthy, grimy exteriors, thirty or more floors of barred windows with washing hanging from them and a totally desolate feel. I can only imagine the living conditions within. This is the lot of the poor here in Hong Kong, except if the government decides to tear down their homes and relocate them out to some other area where they have the same kind of terrible housing (except without their social network.) In any true worldclass city, these public housing towers would be at least properly maintained. But here, they just get let go till they are eventually pulled down for more office blocks or upmarket apartment blocks. Take a good look around and you'll see people wearing high end clothing and jewellery, real Rolex watches, computer bags, blackberry gizmos sitting in a coffee shop while a stooped, 80 year old woman pushes a cart of flattened cardboard up a steep hill (this provides her meagre income when it's sold for re-use or recycling). The fact that Hong Kong doesn't have a decent social welfare system is the reason why these contrasts exist. Only yesterday a teacher at my school told me she gives 30% of her salary to her retired parents. This is to enable them to have some sort of comforts in their old age. But this is a culture where appearance is EVERYTHING and loss of face is the ultimate disgrace. Never mind that something isn't functional or practical (or perhaps doesn't even work at all) it's how it LOOKS that counts. e.g. the recent tearing down of the OLD Star Ferry terminal and the continuing redevelopment of Soho and other areas of Central and Sheung Wan. If it's old, get rid of it. Bad luck about losing the city's heritage. Too bad about the historical or cultural significance. You can see examples of this thinking in many aspects of daily life - This city has a magnificent harbour but it's almost totally off limits to the public - miles and miles of harbourfront and hardly any public access because it's all used for shipyards, new roads or yet another tower. In any "worldclass" city, there would be parks, bike tracks and picnic areas along the harbour. But here, it's just another thing that you can look at but not touch. It's the same thing in "parks" - those beautifully landscaped areas dotted around the city - no bikes, no kite-flying, no ball games, no dogs (even on a leash) keep off the grass, no smoking etc. etc. etc. You may walk through a park, sit in a park and admire the manicured plants but don't for one minute think you can actually DO anything. On a smaller scale there's the things that are sold in the thousands of bakeries here. Cakes. ............ooooh now I've started............ lovely to look at, but totally without substance. They sound and look fabulous.... chestnut chocolate, mango delight, strawberry napoleon, tiramisu, blueberry cheesecake...... but bite into them and flavoured cotton wool is what they are. See, they LOOK good - form doesn't follow function, it IS the function. Ok rant over. Now I feel depressed. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Hong Kong All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


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A variety of new sounds on this show a lot of them from the Greater Salford area…….or Manchester as it is more commonly referred to…..but many more from far flung places like Coventry, Falkirk and Huddersfield……
- WU LYF – Dirt (Single) : the next big thing? I think it's too early to tell but this single is definitely quality stuff. You will be able to see for yourself at Manchester International Festival in July.
- White Swallow – Rain (Single) – consist of Bobby Mambo- Guitar + Vox and
Sam Swallows- Drums and hail from Chorley (a fine place with some nice restaurants).More info the Brock and Roll site.
- The Strive – Down in London (Demo) – interesting band from Stretford consisting Gurmakh Singh – Guitar/Vocals, Jake Ogden – Guitar/Vocals
Thomas 'Toast' Barlow – Bass/Vocals, Mike Carolan – Drums.
- Beirut – East Harlem (Single) – nice to see them back and with a great tune from Zac Condon.
- The Suns – Sun Strut – Down and Out in Little Deva (Album) – the rather impressive and utterly groovy Suns who are playing at Helmets for Men in September…..and are well worth seeing.
- Zap Zap Zap – Brick Window – apparently the NME think they are good which is usually the kiss of death for me but they are actually very impressive. It would appear that they "enjoy taking influence from the potent and enigmatic things of everyday life; amplifying them to great heights of their own musical art". Not sure that adequately covers a very polished and unique sound that encourages further listening. Very melodic and well constructed tune this.
- Bad Pollyanna – My Incubi (Single) – I like a touch of alternative rock sturm und drang once in a while and this one ticked my one working set of ossicles so I thought I would give it an airing. The album is in gestation as I understand it. Based in Huddersfield the band consists of Olivia Hyde – Vocals, Nikki Kontinen – Bass, Sam Morrow – Drums, and Peter Dawes – Guitar. Apparently the stage show is pretty impressive and looking at some of the vids on You Tube they do have an impressive look to them. Turns out Sam the drummer lives in Manchester also. If you want to contribute to the production of the album you can pay for the single otherwise its free to download. Good idea I think – something Kristin Hersh does with her Strange Angels thingy.
- Audio Asylum – Pressure (Demo) – a very impressive band from Liverpool who I've played before. A taster from a forthcoming ep.
- The Black Hands – 45 (Demo) – Five piece Blues Rock outfit The Black Hands are: Daniel Riley – Guitar & Vocals, Richard Moore – Guitar & Vocals, Andy Gannon – Vocals & Harmonica, Dan Bennet – Bass, Ben Atkins – Drums. Rather reminiscent of the music I was listening to when I was a young whippersnapper in loon pants and a tank top.
- The Wild Swans – Falling to Bits – The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years (Album) – if you want any further evidence of my advancing senility then you have it in me describing the rather marvellous Wild Swans as the "White" Swans – I put this down to an over-ingestion of Doctor Joey Holts bronchial medicine. Aside from my idiocy an excellent track from a brilliant album.
- Pose Victorious – Off The Rails – Beneath the Lighthouse (EP) – e a 5 piece indie rock band from Falkirk, Scotland. Having formed in mid 2009 they quickly released their self titled debut E.P. in March 2010. Since then the band have endeavoured to introduce their sound to new ears, playing a host of gigs and down the country, this is from their new EP.
- V Thirteen – What Happened To You (Demo – Radio Edit) – V Thirteen was formed in March 2011 by Dermo (from Northside) and Matt Rynn. Work is now underway on the writing of the self recorded debut album 'The Rest Is History' which will be engineered, produced and mixed by Dermo and Matt. This is the first demo.
- Pint Shot Riot – Twisted Soul (Single) – from Coventry, the band were formed in 2004 under the name 'Avenue' – they changed their name to 'Pint Shot Riot' because when you enter the word 'Pint' into predictive text, the phone often mistakes it for 'Shot' or 'Riot. The Band's current lineup consists of two cousins Richard 'Rocket' Emerson (Guitar and Vocals) and Chris 'Mini Rocket' Connell (Drums and Backing Vocals) with Dave 'Baby Dave' Page (Bass) and Rob Clements (Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals).
- Esmerine– A Dog River – La Lechuza (Album)an experimental instrumental group started by Bruce Cawdron and Beckie Foon, who have contributed to other Montreal-based bands as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Set Fire to Flames, and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. The music consists mainly of percussion, cello, and marimba sharing many characteristics with minimalist classical music and chamber music.
- Electric Wood – A Tragic Satire (Demo) – very little info about these guys at this point in time but an impressive tune.
To listen click on the link below


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Lighthouse Christian Books
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Product Description
This brand-new Bible storybook teaches children about God's amazing plan through His Son, Jesus, and combines Jesus Calling devotions to help kids understand in their heart that Jesus loves them so, so much.
In the "Jesus Calling Bible Storybook", parents and children will love reading through the Bible and seeing God's exciting plan unfold. God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins and made a plan for us to live forever with Him.
From creation to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the apostles and the early church, Jesus has always been present with those who trust Him. This book helps children understand Jesus' role throughout the Old Testament, the New Testament, and their lives today. The stories will teach them about the Bible, and the devotions will lead them to an early and close walk with Jesus.
More Product Information
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers
- Release Date: October 15, 2012
- Language: English
- Height: 1.06 inches
- Width: 7.15 inches
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- Weight: 1.95 pounds
- Recommended Age Range: 04 through 07 years
- Recommended Grade Range: Preschool through 2nd Grade


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Have you ever wondered how old that quail was your dog retrieved for you?
I'm going to bet it was probably a juvenile bird because most quail don't live more than 14 months. In fact, a bobwhite quail that makes it to its first birthday could be considered a senior citizen.
Did you know you can determine the age of a quail by studying its primary converts and primary feathers? A juvenile quail's wing coverts will be buff-tipped and will often be molting one or more of the primary feathers. Adult birds will not have buff-tipped primary coverts and the primary feathers will often be worn on the outside edge . Here's a picture of an adult quail. Notice the worn edges of the two outside primary feathers (hard to see) and no buff tips.
Biologists often age quail to determine when the peak of the quail hatch occurs. Biologists need to know when the peak quail hatch occurs so they can plan management practices and advise private landowners on when to hay fields or to conduct other field activities.
In Missouri, the peak of the first quail hatch occurs in late June with a second peak occurring in late July and early August. The peaks can be skewed later in the summer because of nesting failures related to weather, predators or nest abandonment.
Here are two pictures of juvenile birds from the same covey. No, I didn't get a double, but wishful thinking. Notice the buff-tips on the converts and molting primary feathers. You can determine when a juvenile quail hatched based on the length of the molting primary feathers. The top bird is about 100 days old or hatched in early September! The second bird is about 130 days old based on the three-fourths grown primary feather.
For the past two years most of Missouri has been subject to heavy rains and extensive flooding during the peak of the nesting season. There's a good chance most of the June 2008 hatch was wiped out by the monsoon we experience last summer. Fortunately, quail will often renest a second and sometimes a third time. A good late season hatch can often save the hunting season.
During the 2008 quail season many of the quail I have harvested were young birds that hatched in mid August to early September. I've been hearing similar reports from other biologists and quail hunters. I'm not surprised given the wet summer we had.
The other extreme--heat and drought--is also tough on young quail. The tiny eggs and young chicks can dry out or overheat when temperatures soar into the triple digits. Quail will often seek out shrubby cover during the hottest part of the day where temperatures can be 10 to 15 degrees cooler. I guess this is one reason quail nests are often found close to some sort of woody cover.
Check out "On the Edge" or the University of Missouri Extension Service guide "Ecology of Northern Bobwhite in Missouri" to learn more about the life history of northern bobwhite.


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Table of Contents:
Section 1: atWar News
Section 2: Influential Players List
"Read what your heart desires" - Someone
atWar News
There has been speculations that Amok, the main developer of this game, has 'given up' on atWar. This was brought to light by a post made by Critical (Chicken Man). Sir Hellykin then explains to the community in the comments of the current situation regarding Amok and atWar: basically that Amok has no time to continuing developing for atWar currently, and that Ivan is learning HTML5 to continue where Amok has left off. Ivan is also working with Pulse (a moderator) to fix some of the code.
The following screenshots have been provided by Sir Hellykin. They contain Ivan's responses to Amok and atWar's current situation:
http://prntscr.com/fns1rw || http://prntscr.com/fns23j || http://prntscr.com/fns2c1 || http://prntscr.com/fns2i8 || http://prntscr.com/fns2oq
A few days ago Mauzer Panteri made a post accusing popular duellist Yellow Rose of using third party programmes to cheat during game play. He explains how in a clan war he experienced some shady rolls against Yellow Rose, who simply responded to the unusual rolls 'I'm using Lucky Bastard'. In the comments on the post many players came out saying they also experienced strange rolls when playing Yellow Rose and have also suspected him of using foul play. Yellow Rose himself responded to these accusations saying that he uses Lucky Bastard a lot and that no one ever complained when he experienced bad rolls against other players as well. He then provided video evidence of his recent games to show he doesn't use any sort of third party programmes whilst playing. The post has since been moved to the moderator forum for the moderators for investigate. The truth is as clear as mud.
Influential Players List
10. Talos:
引句:Undoubtedly the most successful map maker in AtWar with maps like "Battle For Middle Earth"
9. Chess:
引句:Helping balancing strategies and creating popular/insightful threads such as the AtWar Record Book. He also made what is believed to be the closest thing to an alternative competitive map "Dreamworld".
8. Che:
引句:Creator of the map "True World War II" which was the most popular map in the early days of Afterwind and paved the way for most future WWII maps to follow.
7. Cthulhu:
引句:Training many of the top competitive players, balancing strategies and making guides, Cthulhu's opinion carries a lot of weight in the community.
6. Laochra:
引句:Between making guides, training players and balancing strategies Lao is easily one of the most influential and opinionated personalities in the game.
5. Abfahren:
引句:Created the supporter group and led it head first into many difficult challenges like advertising the game to other websites, as well as setting standards for the group.
4. Clovis:
引句:Easily of the most skilled players in the game, Clovis helped create the popular Atwar Calculator and numerous posts/threads regarding strategy. Also leading a coalition with more individual skill than any other before it.
3. VladRocovita:
引句:Single-handedly bringing in more than 5000+ players into the game through his popular youtube videos, Vlad has brought in more people to the game than anyone else.
2. Hdrakon:
引句:Training a colossal amount of players, helping to change policy, reporting bugs, and making many reasonable suggestions, Hdrakon is the farthest reaching player in the game.
1. Tophat:
引句:Possibly the most skilled player in AtWar at his prime, he was kind and influential with making guides to share his knowledge, training players, and helping balance strategies. He is a perfect example of a model player in atWar.
DISCLAIMER: The list was created based on personal opinions and NOT statistics, feel free to organize it in your own way with the descriptions of each contributor provided.
"How did I escape Iraq?"


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A county wall map of Hampshire showing the county boundary and fading out the area beyond.
Scale: 1:115,000
Dimensions: 1000 x 900mm
This map is available as either a
- Paper map,
- Plastic Laminated with a write on wipe off surface
- Mounted on Pinboard and laminated with a choice of frames - Aluminium, light or dark wood
- Mounted on Magnetic Board and framed in Aluminium
The Framed maps will not include the title cartouche or the map key insets as shown in the images.
Please use the drop down menu to select your preferred option
Please note delivery times
Paper & Laminated maps 2 to 5 working days
Framed Maps 7 to 10 working days.
*Please note these maps will be sent to you by courier and will require a signature on delivery*
Publication Date 2009 - Latest Edition
Write a review and let shoppers know what you think of this product.
|The Map Centre Press


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Germany midfielder Marco Reus has been ruled out of the World Cup with Sampdoria defender Shkodran Mustafi called up to replace him.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder tore ankle ligaments in Germany's final World Cup warm-up match against Armenia on Friday night.
The German Football Association announced on Saturday morning that the 25-year-old faces a lay-off of seven to eight weeks, meaning he will not be fit for the World Cup.
"It's extremely regrettable both for him and for us," said Germany coach Joachim Low on Saturday.
"Marco was in top form and he had made a fantastic impression during our training camp and in both our games against Cameroon and Armenia.
"You could just see how much he was enjoying his football. He had played a key role in our considerations for Brazil."
Instead, Sampdoria defender Mustafi will be boarding the plane with the rest of the Germany squad on Saturday night.
"It was not about finding a like-for-like replacement for Marco," Low continued. "We have a great deal of quality in that position behind the forwards.
"We've got enough alternatives with Lukas Podolski, Andre Schurrle, Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, Julian Draxler and Toni Kroos.
"That is why we have chosen an extra option for the defence. Shkodran impressed us during our training camp, he's fit and we have faith in him.
"We know we can rely on him 100 per cent."
Reus will not require surgery, but will spend the next two months receiving treatment in Dortmund in a bid to be fit for the start of the 2014/15 Bundesliga season at the end of August.
Mustafi has been capped only once, playing the full 90 minutes of Germany's 0-0 draw against Poland last month having impressed in Serie A last season.


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When start transfer, I receive this error:
- Table 'Percorsi' created
Error moving data
Error: -2147217900
Reason: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Parameters supplied for object 'Percorsi' which is not a function. If the parameters are intended as a table hint, a WITH keyword is required.
SQL: INSERT INTO [Percorsi] () VALUES (1, N'FATTURE 2015', N'\\srvfs01\gruppi$\Brasile\Amministrazione\Dati BWB\FATTURE BRASILE\FATTURE 2015\fatture bwb 2015.xlsx', N'giorgio', NULL, '2015-08-25 09:33:24', NULL, 0)
Transfer was aborted
I don't kow why?
On Access db this table PERCORSI work fine.
Another problem about Date.
All fields of DATE type are set automatically to datetime(27).
I uninstalled this version and installed again the previous version 220.127.116.11, this problem doesn't occur.


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The beginning of October means the end of monsoon season in India. The long days of rain and wet have made way for the sun. This is the perfect time to start thinking about freshening up tired spaces in the house. Including plants and trees into your interior design brings life to unused spaces. Indoor plants are known to improve mood, health and productivity. According to Feng Shui principles, plants allow positive energy to flow freely around a room. There are so many plants to discover, with a variety of colour combinations, designs, textures and sizes. Make plant choices that best suit the style, colour combination and decor of your house. Choosing the right plant for your house can turn a good interior design into a great design.
Foyers and entrances are great places to use plants to welcome guests into your house. The designer of this house Cenquizqui has strategically placed a series of pot plants outside the entrance to this room. The plants contrast perfectly in their height, colour and texture. The smooth large plate shaped leaves of one plant contrast beautifully with the spiky palm next to it. Together they brighten the entrance and welcome the visitor.
Bringing a variety of carefully chosen plants and pots into your design can bring a new level of energy to your rooms. Indoor plants come in a huge variety of colours and textures, from the spiky yellow and green of the snake plant to the smooth deep green colours in the Peace Lily, the wide range of colours from beautiful Orchids to the sharp spikes of the cactus. This combination of plants show a great contrast in colours and textures. Pots can also bring another dimension to your design. These pots show a selection of textures, colours and finishes. Don't be afraid to use unusual containers for your plants. Anything that has drainage holes in the bottom can be used for growing plants.
The bedroom is a place to be comfortable and to dream. Enhance the beauty and atmosphere of any bedroom by placing a plant by the window. The first morning light will create a beautiful mottled shadows through the leaves of the plant. Bedrooms are often spaces that contain a majority of soft furnishings. By bringing a plant into the bedroom it provides a contrast, colour, energy and freshness.
Modern designs are becoming increasingly popular in recent times. These designs are often based on clean lines, smooth surfaces and simplicity. The use of plants in such designs are often an afterthought, but it doesn't have to be this way. Plants can work very well in modern designs. There are such a wide variety of plants that will grow well indoors. There is always a plant to suit your design. In this modern interior a plant is used in a very modern way, growing inside a pair of round, white pots. This works very well with the smooth, red and white modern design of the room.
The kitchen in often known as the heart of the home. It is often the central meeting place for the family in the house. Kitchens are often designed with cool, hard and sharp surfaces. Including plants into the kitchen can bring colour and soften hard surfaces. This kitchen space is dominated by the hard sharp lines of the timber supports, floor tiles and white walls. The inclusion of plants plays an important part in softening the design, making it more hospitable and welcoming. The plants bring colour and energy to an otherwise sterile environment.
See how growing herbs in the kitchen can add an element of green to your cooking.
The bathroom is not always the first place designers think of to incorporate plants. The hard lines and cool surfaces do not often allow spaces for plants. Many plants thrive in the humid conditions of a bathroom and can bring an element of nature into the room. Placing a plant in the bathroom is a wonderful way to bring freshness to your morning shower routine. The designer of this bathroom has used the tall plant in the corner perfectly. It creates a focus to the bathroom as well as a splash of colour to an unused corner.
Much has been written about the health benefits of having plants in the home. Certain plants are known for their ability to remove carbon dioxide, and increase oxygen from the atmosphere. They are also known to improve the mood of those living in the house. Whether you use plants for health or simply aesthetic reasons, they bring colour, freshness and energy to any space. This vertical garden is an excellent example. The wild and chaotic element of nature contrasts beautifully with the modern lines of the decor. It provides a beautiful connection between the house and the outside natural environment.
For more ideas about indoor plants and vertical garden ideas.
Don't be afraid to use plants in unusual ways in your design. Plants and indoor trees are often used in pots and planters on the ground level or higher on tables. Why not break out of the tradition and use plants in a new way. The plant in this photograph is a good example. The plant, growing in a piece of wood mounted on the wall looks more like a work of art than a plant. The wood provides a framing for the stunning sharp texture of the leaves. Placed in the right position, this can be a wonderful feature of any room.
Plants can be used in any room, on any level. Let your imagination go wild when incorporating plants into interior designs. Think about using plants in unusual or unexpected places, such as on the wall or in tall pedestal pots. Whether the design is modern or traditional, themed or nature based, there are always great options for plants. The most important thing to think about is the right plants for your particular design style. Consideration should be made as to the colour, texture, size and pot choices of any plants. Putting time into the planning of any interior design will result in a relaxing and enjoyable home environment, and a welcoming place for all visitors.
If you are looking for further inspiration for incorporating plants into your design consider Grün+Design.


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It's my second to last recipe post for the Canadian Tire Kitchen Crew! This time I was charged with testing out the Kitchen Aid ExactSlice 13 cup Food Processor. I was really excited to try this out because our food processor is nearly 20 years old and whilst it still does the job, it's much smaller so I often find myself doing things in multiple batches. This model features:
- A large 13-cup size capacity BPA-free work bowl and mini bowl
- External adjustable, stainless steel slicing disc
- 3 speeds and blades for great performance and results
- Ultra wide mouth feed tube which accommodates large to small foods
As for my Mission this week:
Sometimes even with the best intentions, a perfect dessert can be more memorable than the main course. Your mission is to recreate a special dessert from a special occasion! That may mean replicating an anniversary's crème brûlée or even baking that birthday cake you made in a pinch – the choice is yours! So what are you waiting for? Get baking!
Ok then. I admit I had to read this a few times before I really understood what they were asking. And even typing it out now I feel slightly confused! do they want a perfect dessert or one that upstages the main meal? I chose to go with the "perfect" theme and decided to recreate (and hopefully perfect) a dessert that has been bugging me for a while now – baked cheesecake.
Oh, I have made them before but each time they have cracked on top. I've been meaning to make one for a while now and, as the crust of the cheesecake is one of my favourite parts, I thought it might be a good test for the Exactslice. It must be said that the Exactslice is a great looking machine. So retro and professional looking. It's not too heavy, though its footprint is a little larger than I would like, given my lack of cupboard and counter space. I set it to work chopping up hazelnuts and ginger spice cookies to make the crust.
I have to admit that I was disappointed by this machine when it came to this relatively simple task. I chose to use the mini bowl simply because I wasn't making a huge quantity of crust and not only did it take way longer than our 20 year-old powerhouse Moulinex food processor, but the crumbs (and in fact, whole cookies – they are tiny – and hazelnuts) remained stuck in the rim of the bowl, making clean removal of the lid virtually impossible. The lid is also rather difficult to remove – not sure if this is just because it's new or because of its design but it's awkward. In any case, I was let down by this normally trusted brand by its inability to carry out a simple task as quickly and as easily as my old food processor.
After a while, though it eventually got the job done and I got to work on the filling. Now a few weeks ago, I received a wonderful sample pack of Oikos Greek Yoghurt by Danone, newly released in Canada. The special straining stage used to make Oikos means only three ingredients (milk, cream and an active culture) are used and the process requires three times more milk than a regular yogurt. The result? A low-fat, high-protein yogurt with a thick and creamy texture that is perfect for enjoying as is or for cooking. Slightly tangier than regular yogurt, certified kosher and contains no gelatin or preservatives, Oikos is my new favourite brand!
As well as the honey and blueberry samples (which were literally devoured in my staff room where the pack arrived – people simply couldn't believe the low fat and high protein content of such an unctuous, tasty yoghurt!), I received a large size of the plain which I had to hide away from my colleagues, bringing it home with every intention of a week or so of tasty breakfasts. But then I got to thinking about my cheesecake and how I wanted to use sour cream, and all of a sudden realized that perhaps by substituting sour cream for Greek yoghurt, I might achieve a nicer texture in my cheesecake. I already know that yoghurt bakes well so I figured why not. Also, I ended up using light cream cheese (since that's what we had) and I think the thicker yoghurt helped compensate for that in terms of texture and certainly nothing tasted "light" about the end product. It was creamy and tasty – noone would even guess that it was made with light cream cheese and 2% yoghurt!
As I already had duck confit cooking away in the oven with no end in sight (it took around 6 hours), I ended up using the Black and Decker Convection Rotisserie Toaster Oven from my previous Kitchen Crew Challenge, slightly wary about the idea of making cheesecakes in a toaster oven. But I needn't have worried – they were amazing. And they didn't crack! Of course, making smaller sized ones (I used 4-inch springform pans and I made two of these only!) there is less chance of them cracking but I was pleased nonetheless at my success 🙂
I served them with a dollop of crème fraîche and some blueberries and dusted them lightly with icing sugar. Result?
A lovely bright, fresh cheesecake with a rich, creamy texture. And so easy! I will definitely make this again – if I can get my hands on the Oikos before it's all gone!
Baked lemon cheesecake
A light, bright baked cheesecake made with Greek yoghurt.
- 1 1/2 cups ginger spice cookies
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 250g cream cheese (either spreadable or at room temperature)
- 200g Greek yoghurt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- crème fraîche (or whipping cream)
- blueberries, to garnish
- icing sugar, to garnish
- Pre-heat oven to 300˚F.
- If your mini-springform pans are not non-stick, lightly grease them.
- Place the cookies and hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until your mixture is the texture you like it. I prefer some chunkier pieces of both cookie and nut, you may prefer a finer crumb.
- In a separate bowl, add melted butter to the crumb mixture and mix until well combined.
- Distribute the crumbs evenly in the springform pans and press down with your fingers on the crumbs until is forms a more or less solid block.
- Place pans in the fridge whilst you prepare the filling.
- Using either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or electric hand beaters, combine cream cheese, yoghurt and sugar until mixture is creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla.
- Pour mix into the prepared pans over the crust.
- Rap the pans a couple of times on a countertop to distribute the filling evenly.
- Bake for 35 minutes. The top of the cheesecake should still be a little wobbly.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate, removing from fridge about 10-15 minutes before you will serve them.
- Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and blueberries, dusting some icing sugar over the top right before you serve.
Disclosure: I was provided with compensation as well as a Kitchen Aid 13 cup Food Processor in exchange for writing two posts about the product. All opinions are 100% my own. The Kitchen Crew series highlights my stories, recipes and tips with promotional consideration made possible by Canadian Tire. If you want to uncover your kitchen's true potential, stay tuned to the Kitchen Crew for my weekly missions.
I was also provided with samples of the Oikos Greek yoghurt. I was not asked to write a post about this product, nor was I compensated in any way. All opinions expressed are my own (and, in this case, my colleagues who helped me "test" the yoghurt!)


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Education at Work
Ashford University
Tuition Savings Options For Uline Employees
Employees take advantage of this partnership with Ashford University to earn a college degree online while working full-time. You'll get the education you've always wanted while becoming one of your company's best and brightest. Call 855.805.6911
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Find out if you are eligible to get your tuition, materials, and fees covered through the Ashford University Full Tuition Grant. When used in conjunction with your company's Tuition Assistance Program, the grant covers the remaining required educational costs, including:
- Tuition
- Course materials
- Technology fees
- Prior Learning Assessment fees
- Graduation fee
Full Tuition Grant is not available for doctoral degree programs.
Tuition Benefit Details
Eligible employees who successfully apply to and attend Ashford University will receive:
10% Tuition Savings
Take advantage of reduced tuition to earn your college degree.
Technology Fee Waiver
This per course charge will be waived, allowing you free access to all Ashford University systems such as the Student Portal and online classroom throughout your program at Ashford University.
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Your digital course materials, including your textbooks, will be completely covered for your first course through your company's partnership with Ashford University.